The Emancipation of Women as a Criterion Of Assessing Microcredit Effectiveness

Abstract

It is assumed that microfinance programs trigger the economic, social and political empowerment of women. However, even in financially successful microfinance programs, the actual contribution to empowerment is often limited. Lending to women may benefit their households, but not necessarily the women concerned. This article cautions against the excessive focus on women’s financial outcomes as a measure of their empowerment and underlines the necessity to take into consideration other measures of women’s emancipation – not only their ability to earn an income.